A new generation of robotic systems and tools is required to meet the increasing terrorist threat in the US and abroad. The lack of adaptability and limited capability of existing remote controlled systems available to Hazardous/First Response/Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams has frustrated many teams worldwide. The unique and often dangerous tasks associated with the first responder mission require personnel to make quick decisions and often adapt their tools in the field to combat a variety of threats. The tools must be readily available, robust, and yet still provide surgical precision when required.
Robots for versatile tasks potentially may be built in any reasonable size. Known production robots are usually in the 40-100 lb. range, which may be carried by an infantryman at the low end and by a utility vehicle at the upper end. Production robots are different from research robots—practical considerations outweigh theoretical capabilities. Robots of increased size have been proposed, but as they become larger, necessary capabilities compete with one another. Size and weight are limited by deployment and power/refueling/battery life constraints. Minimum size and weight are limited by the necessity of carrying useful payloads, and again, power/refueling/battery life constraints. The effects of the square-cube law complicate the necessary balance, because the volume or weight often grows with the cube of the size increase.